Small Pleasures
While I am on the subject of old Whitman haunts that have long since gone, does anyone remember Browne's(sp)? It was where the Center Ice now stands, and though it was small and comforting in it's familiarity like Cavicchi's, it was more of a newstand/gift store.
If you entered via the front door, you were greeted by the greeting cards, wrapping paper, and the small stuffed animals and knick- knacks that were displayed on shelves and racks, and were reasonably priced so that a kid could get a gift for Mom or Dad or that special someone without breaking the piggy bank. I distinctly remember these small stuffed dogs and bunnies( think an earlier Beanie Baby) that were always for sale for $2.95 for the small version, and I think $5.95 for the larger. One of the larger ones graced my Mom's bed for the longest time, and these dogs and bunnies were prevalent in lockers at West Middle, and at many a kid's birthday party.
An entrance through the back door took you to the school supply section, and in the back of the store, just up one step was the book and magazine section. The owners didn't seem to mind too much if you hung out there for a short bit and perused the selections, provided you were fairly quiet and well behaved. My favorite thing to do was to nonchalantly scoop up the paperback version of Scruples, give a quick scan of the store to make sure I was not being watched, and nervously read the naughty parts of the book. I swear, that paperback was always in stock, and it was as if there were only one copy of it, as the naughty pages seemed to be almost dog-eared, if ever so slightly!
Before I was old enough to live on the wild side with Judith Krantz in the back of Browne's, the store was also a great place to go and load up on candy and gum before Sunday school with my sisters. Our church is the First Congregational,which is literally a parking lot away, so it was easy to make a quick stop at Browne's before heading over to do our weekly required duty ( though really, Sunday school wasn't that bad at all) with Mr. Hastings, and the teachers whose names regrettably escape me now.
I know that I am starting to sound old, but I don't care! Those days were so much fun! And yes, I am smiling again.
If you entered via the front door, you were greeted by the greeting cards, wrapping paper, and the small stuffed animals and knick- knacks that were displayed on shelves and racks, and were reasonably priced so that a kid could get a gift for Mom or Dad or that special someone without breaking the piggy bank. I distinctly remember these small stuffed dogs and bunnies( think an earlier Beanie Baby) that were always for sale for $2.95 for the small version, and I think $5.95 for the larger. One of the larger ones graced my Mom's bed for the longest time, and these dogs and bunnies were prevalent in lockers at West Middle, and at many a kid's birthday party.
An entrance through the back door took you to the school supply section, and in the back of the store, just up one step was the book and magazine section. The owners didn't seem to mind too much if you hung out there for a short bit and perused the selections, provided you were fairly quiet and well behaved. My favorite thing to do was to nonchalantly scoop up the paperback version of Scruples, give a quick scan of the store to make sure I was not being watched, and nervously read the naughty parts of the book. I swear, that paperback was always in stock, and it was as if there were only one copy of it, as the naughty pages seemed to be almost dog-eared, if ever so slightly!
Before I was old enough to live on the wild side with Judith Krantz in the back of Browne's, the store was also a great place to go and load up on candy and gum before Sunday school with my sisters. Our church is the First Congregational,which is literally a parking lot away, so it was easy to make a quick stop at Browne's before heading over to do our weekly required duty ( though really, Sunday school wasn't that bad at all) with Mr. Hastings, and the teachers whose names regrettably escape me now.
I know that I am starting to sound old, but I don't care! Those days were so much fun! And yes, I am smiling again.
posted by Christine at 9:29 PM
5 Comments:
It was Dunnington's on 27 in Hanson for me...I bought a candy dish for my mother for $2.95 for her birthday. It was irredescent and I now have inherited it (is there a spell check on this thing). I look at that dish and it brings me back to that store where they had a soda fountain where for small change I could pay for my own ice cream cone. They had those red seats that you could spin around in really fast while you waited for your ice cream. Ah, the good old days.
I remember Dunnington's, only I went to the one in Brockton, on the east side. LOVED those red seats!
Hi, Kathy!!
I think I remember that horse, but all of your toy horses were so pretty(and now your real ones are, too!).
Hmmm..J. Geils song..Give it to me? Musta Got Lost? I am having a hard time remembering that pizza place; was I too young to go there when you did?
The Pizza place was Vera's. We used to walk there cutting through the field where we would pick blueberries in the summer. They had good pizza but I think it was more the social aspect since sitting in a bar room for pizza was out of the question. We used to go next door to Curtis and get a 16oz pepsi to go with it. Now that I think about it that was rather rude to not buy the drink from them but oh well!
The J Geils song was probably "Give it to me" since we couldn't listen to it at home. Linda's father broke her 45 when he heard it! What does he do now, I wonder if he's heard "Candy shop" I'm appalled at that one.
I still have my toy horses, the one with the saddle and the pony. They're staying in my room so they won't get broken.
Funny how we can have toy horses or books or whatever for YEARS, and let the kids loose on one of them, and Bammo, they're broken or messed up! Wise of you to keep them in your room. I was so bummed out when they got rid of the field at the end of Harvey Ln.to put in more houses. I LOVED that field! Catching pollywogs with Michael Coonan, cutting through to get to wherever, just hanging out...and I'm not surprised that that single was broken!Luckily I haven't been subjected to Candy Shop yet.
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